Waiting
by Soultail
Summary: Months. Months have passed. And now, even a year. It's been one year since Natsu disappeared. Natsu x Lucy


_Tweet, Tweet. _I groaned, blinking open my eyes. _Tweet Tweet. _I stretched my arms over my head, taking a deep breath. _Tweet. _I glanced over at the calendar. One month. One month has passed since Natsu disappeared. I blinked, letting this sink in. _Tweet, Tweet. _I squared my shoulders. I was going to face this day.

_Tweet_

The guild hall was buzzing with life. Everybody was laughing, singing, fighting. I glanced down sadly at the cup in front of me. Two months. It's been two months. And nothing. Nothing to let us, to let me, know that he was okay. It was like he didn't want to be found.

"Lucy!" Gray called, plopping down across from me. I smiled as Erza and Wendy followed him, crowding around the table.

"Let's go on a mission." Erza said. I nodded.

"Yeah." I said, smiling.

_(Laughter and singing from the guild)_

"Just try not to move." Erza told me, walking out of the clinic. I groaned, looking down at the bandages on my side. Three months. Still nothing. I was starting to believe he would never come back. The silence of the clinic was relaxing. I sighed, sinking into the pillows. I could lay here forever….

_(Silence)_

"Congratulations!" I squealed, hugging Erza.

"Thanks." She said, clearly happy. Jellal next to her scratched the back of his head.

"I'm just glad the Council dropped my charges." He mumbled. Erza looked over at him, grinning. Four months. That's how long it's been. Looking at Erzas grin made my heart jolt. Natsu used to grin at me like that.

"I am so happy for you! *gasp* you have to let me be a bridesmaid! Oh, what am I going to wear?" I rambled, trembling with excitement at all the possibilities. Erza chuckled.

"Don't worry, Lucy. You can be my bridesmaid." She said. I grinned, squealing as I threw my arms around her once more.

_(Squeals)_

I laughed, looking over at Gray and Juvia. Juvia was smiling, truly happy, and Gray had a small smile on his face.

"So, when's the date?" I asked. Juvia blushed.

"I have seven months left." She said. She placed her small hand on her stomach.

"I can't wait." Gray mumbled. I gasped.

"Gray. Are you finally admitting your feeling to Juvia? In public?!" I mocked.

"I did that quite a while ago, if you didn't notice." He said, pointing to Juvias stomach. I nodded. True. Five months.

_(Laughter)_

I tapped my pen against the blank page, thinking. It's been six months. I've decided to write to him if he won't write to me. But what was I going to say? 'I hope you're happy with the choice you made.'? 'I wish you would come back.'? 'I miss you.'? 'Are you coming back?' I sighed. No. Nothing I could say would bring him back. He was determined. When he decided something, he stuck with it. _Oh, Natsu. Where are you?_

_(Scribbles on paper)_

Months. Months have passed. And now, even a year. It's been one year since Natsu disappeared. And he's not coming back. A strange emptiness settled into me as I came to terms with this. Natsu was gone. Natsu was gone. Natsu was gone. Natsu isn't coming back. Natsu, Natsu, Natsu. I shivered, curling up in a ball. Natsu. His rough voice, his smile. His strange eating habits. The way he would just fall asleep in my apartment, only smiling as I yelled at him. All gone. And wasn't going to come back. Not now, not ever. And, all of a sudden, it was getting harder to believe. No one could answer my questions. For a year now, no one was there with all the answers. All I had was questions and emptiness. Please. Turn it off. Please. Make me okay. I will never be okay. Natsu, Natsu, Natsu, Natsu. Where are you, NATSU!

_(Screams)_

One year, one month. One year, two months. One year, three months. Four hundred and fifty four days. I pushed open my curtains, looking down on the river, taking a deep breath. _Tweet._ The fresh scent of flowers as a flower cart passed underneath. I closed my eyes, taking it all in. The birds, the river, the flowers. The smell of burned cloth.

"Hey there, Luce." My eyes snapped open, right into black eyes, and a lopsided smile.

"Natsu." Natsu? Natsu. Natsu.

"Can I come in?" I just stepped aside, letting him tumble in next to me.

"Where's Happy?" My mind wouldn't work.

"Back at my place. I wanted to talk to you, alone." He said, watching me carefully. I nodded.

"One year, three months. Four hundred and fifty four days." Was all I said.

"What?"

"That's how long you've been gone." I said. He didn't respond to that.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Lucy. I-"He broke down. Tears started to pour down his face. I didn't know what to do.

"Why did you go? Where did you go?"

"I went on a trip. I saw the world. I went so many places." He said, his sobs slowly stopping.

"Why?"

"I had to. I had to find things. I had to leave. I had to get out."

"Why did you come back?" The question came out harsher than I meant it to.

"I-I-"

"You don't know."

"No! I do! I just- I need you to believe that it is the reason I came back. I didn't come back for fairy tail, Lucy. I came back-"I placed my hand on his shoulder. He looked up at me.

"I came back for you." And that was all I needed to hear.

_Tweet, Tweet_

One Month. He hasn't left again. And the clock has rewound. Waiting. My birthday.

"Happy 20th!" They all yelled, shoving a large cake in my face. I grinned. Everyone was there. Happy, Erza, Gray, Jellal, Juvia, Alana (Juvias daughter), Wendy, Carla, Fairy Tail. Natsu. My family. It was whole again. And I was so happy.

_(Blows out the candles)_

Two years, five months. I kept count, even after all of this. I grabbed the skirt of my dress, as I walked out to where the Master was waiting. The doors that hid the piano, hid everyone. They slowly opened with a creak. The petals were perfect. The piano. But all I could see was Natsu, waiting at the end of the aisle. And I was happy.

_(I do.)_

I walked slowly up the hill, to the tree at the top, my aching body protesting with each step. I smiled down upon the stone, fingering the flowers in my hand. I placed the bundle down, brushing my fingers across the words engraved upon the stone.

"Hey. It's been seventy three years, and eleven months since you came back to me. I miss you. My questions are once again going unanswered. The kids, and grandchildren, try to help. We have a great grandchild now, as well. She is adorable. And Jude has another set of twins coming. When they stop having kids, I will be surprised." I said, chuckling.

"I can feel myself slowing down. I could barely make it here. I've already given my keys to Ritsu. She was excited. I hope Capricorn will be enough of a teacher to her. I'm afraid I won't be around much longer. I can feel my heart coming to a slow stop. I'm getting colder. I have been, ever you left my side. I miss you. I'll be next to you soon, Natsu. I love you." I said, a few tears falling down. I couldn't wait to see him again. And I will wait. Forever.

**Authors Note! Hey! Thank you for reading! Reviews are much appreciated, as well! Hope it was okay. I did try. Kind of. I'm avoiding doing my work, eek. Thank you! You guys are great! Soultail~**


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